Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yotiffany’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Yotiffany’, characterized by its compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plant habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; decorative-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped ray florets; white-colored ray florets; and natural season flowering in early September in the Northern Hemisphere.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Yotiffany’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium,commercially known as a garden-type Chrysanthemum and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Yotiffany’.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Salinas, Calif. and Alva, Fla. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new garden-type Chrysanthemum cultivarshaving inflorescences with desirable inflorescence forms, attractivefloret colors and good garden performance.

The new Chrysanthemum originated from a cross-pollination made inDecember, 1999 in Salinas, Calif., of the Chrysanthemum×morifoliumcultivar Mariyo, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,910, as the female,or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Chrysanthemum×morifoliumidentified as code number 95-L443007, not patented, as the male, orpollen, parent. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered and selected by theInventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. inOctober, 2000. The selection of this plant was based on its desirableinflorescence form, attractive floret coloration and good gardenperformance.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttingsin a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. since January, 2001, has shownthat the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Yotiffany has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Yotiffany’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Yotiffany’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plants.    -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Decorative-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped        ray florets.    -   5. White-colored ray florets.    -   6. Natural season flowering in early September in the Northern        Hemisphere.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the newChrysanthemum differed from plants of the female parent, the cultivarMariyo, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were slightly smaller and        more rounded than plants of the cultivar Mariyo.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about twelve days        earlier than plants of the cultivar Mariyo.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had larger inflorescences        than plants of the cultivar Mariyo.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the newChrysanthemum differed from plants of the male parent selection in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more rounded than plants        of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about two weeks        earlier than plants of the male parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered more uniformly than        plants of the male parent selection.    -   4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the male parent selection        differed in ray floret coloration as plants of the male parent        selection had yellow-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of theChrysanthemum cultivar Empire Chablis, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.8,986. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants ofthe new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar EmpireChablis in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were smaller and more rounded        than plants of the cultivar Empire Chablis.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescences        with fewer disc florets than plants of the cultivar Empire        Chablis.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had longer lasting        inflorescences than plants of the cultivar Empire Chablis.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of theChrysanthemum cultivar Gedi M1, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,235.In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the newChrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Gedi M1 in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were more rounded than plants        of the cultivar Gedi M1.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about seven to ten        days earlier than plants of the cultivar Gedi M1.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had larger inflorescences        than plants of the cultivar Gedi M1.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of thenew Chrysanthemum. These photograph show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Chrysanthemum. The photograph comprises a sideperspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Yotiffany’ grown in acontainer.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The followingobservations and measurements describe plants grown in Leamington,Ontario, Canada during the late summer and early fall in an outdoornursery under conditions and practices which approximate those generallyused in commercial garden-type Chrysanthemum production. One cutting wasplanted in a 15.25-cm container in mid-July, 2004. Plants were grownunder natural season conditions. During the production of the plants,temperatures ranged from 10° to 32° C. Measurements and numerical valuesrepresent averages for typical flowering plants.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar    Yotiffany.-   Commercial classification: Decorative-type garden Chrysanthemum.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar            Mariyo, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,910.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Chrysanthemum×morifolium identified as code number            95-L443007, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About four days at 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About ten to twelve days            at 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Perennial herbaceous            decorative-type garden Chrysanthemum. Inverted triangle with            mounded crown. Stems initially upright, then outwardly            spreading; compact plant habit. Freely branching with about            13 primary branches with lateral branches potentially            forming at every node. Moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 21 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 38 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 18 cm. Diameter: About            5.5 mm. Internode length: About 1.3 cm. Aspect: Upright and            outwardly spreading. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146A.        -   Foliage description.—Leaf arrangement: Alternate. Length:            About 4.5 cm. Width: About 3.4 cm. Apex: Mucronate. Base:            Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed, sinuses parallel to            divergent. Texture, upper surface: Slightly pubescent.            Texture, lower surface: Pubescent; veins prominent. Color:            Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: More            green than 147A. Developing and fully expanded foliage,            lower surface: More green than 147B. Venation, upper            surface: 147A to 147B. Venation, lower surface: Close to            147B. Petiole length: About 1.5 cm. Petiole diameter: About            3 mm. Petiole color, upper surface: Close to 147B to 147C.            Petiole color, lower surface: Close to 146A.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form with            elongated oblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on            terminals above foliage, arising from leaf axils. Ray            florets developing acropetally on a capitulum. Very freely            flowering, about 21 inflorescences per lateral branch.        -   Flowering responses.—Under natural season conditions, plants            flower in early September in the Northern Hemisphere.        -   Inflorescence bud (before showing color).—Height: About            7 mm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color (lower            surface of phyllaries): Close to 147A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 4.5 cm. Depth (height):            About 1.8 cm. Disc diameter: No disc florets observed.            Receptacle diameter: About 3.5 mm.        -   Ray florets.—Shape: Elongated oblong; occasionally quilled.            Length: About 2.3 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Corolla tube            length: About 6 mm. Corolla tube diameter: Variable, about 6            mm to 20 mm. Apex: Acute to emarginate. Margin: Fused.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Surface: Mostly concave.            Orientation: Initially upright, then perpendicular to the            peduncle. Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 182            in numerous whorls. Color: When opening and fully opened,            upper surface: Close to 155D. When opening and fully opened,            lower surface: Close to 155D.        -   Disc florets.—No disc florets observed.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 26. Length:            About 8 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Acute.            Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface:            Smooth, waxy. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Color,            upper surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower surface: Close to            147A.        -   Peduncle.—Length: First peduncle: About 4.6 cm. Fourth            peduncle: About 6.9 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength:            Strong. Aspect: About 30° from vertical. Texture: Pubescent.            Color: Close to 146A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium:            Present on ray florets. Style length: About 4 mm. Style            color: Between 5A and 1A. Stigma color: Close to 9A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Chrysanthemums.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have been    observed to be tolerant to rain, wind and temperatures ranging from    0° to more than 38° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yotiffany’,as illustrated and described.